It's Crunch Time

I've been keeping busy at both home & work, in preparation for our upcoming Disney World trip.

Plus the kids are back in school now (this is their 2nd week) and it's time to make sure all their homework gets done, and that they do their required nightly reading.

I've got some busy days coming up; school orientations & meeting with the teachers, making sure the car goes in for an oil change, and making sure I don't forget to pack anything.

We're super excited about the trip and I am looking forward to spending the time with my husband and kids.

They're Everywhere

I'm sure you've all heard of People of Walmart by now. If you haven't, just go ahead and go have a few laughs.

But here's the thing.... you don't have to be at Walmart to spot these creatures. These same people frequent the mall.

Yes, that's right - the MALL. The huge-people-come-from-all-over-the-country-to-shop-in-this-fabulous-high-end-shopping-mall!

I mean, when I pulled into the MASSIVELY crowded parking lot to try to find a spot, I finally found one after 13 minutes of driving, when a black Lamborghini backed out. It's THAT high end.

But apparently it may also be that LOW end.

My girlfriends and I enjoyed a nice dinner at Cheesecake Factory, and then decided to sit and people watch. We decided it was better than a movie. And - FREE.

You would be amazed at what people think looks good. You'd be amazed at the odd couples. You'd contemplate which is worse; jeans so baggy that your boxers shorts stick out the back or skinny jeans. On a BOY. (the jury is still out on that one)

And while people watching, you may even lucky and see a clip from the next episode of Cops. We witnessed a man that nearly tripped over our feet as he briskly walked by, and approached 2 girls with a booming "EXCUSE ME LADIES", at which point he escorted them back into the store where he searched their bags and pulled out items like eye lash curlers and nail polish.

Yes, that's right .... move over Walmart. Even the shopping mall is crawling with creatures.

I'm too excited to sleep

I'm sure you've heard that line from the commercial.

It's one of my favorite commercials of all time. But that may be that I just love Disney, and the phrase "I'm too excited to sleep!" rings true for me, as well as my kids.

We're now just a little over 2 weeks from our family vacation to Disney World and we are starting to have that excitement build up. Within the next few days, I'll start the packing process and organizing a list of items that can't be packed until right before we leave.

I just love Disney World and cannot wait to be back there with my family!!!!

Where is your favorite vacation destination???

Cubs vs Sox

We've got a bit of a rivalry going in our household.

I'm a diehard Cubs fan, while the hubby is a Sox fan.

The kids have decided to keep their loyalties with the Cubs, so hubby is a bit outnumbered.

We were at the Cubs game this past Wednesday, and suddenly my daughter taps me and asks:

"Mommy, when you got married .... did you know that Daddy was a Sox fan?"

When I replied 'yes', she was astonished and said "Then why did you marry him?!"

According to her, I should have picked a Cubs fan.

I tried to explain that had I not picked her father, she wouldn't be here (but alas, she's 6....how much does she really understand?)

She did make it clear that when she picks a husband someday, he most certainly WILL be a Cubs fan.

Roll Call

I know I'm a terrible blogger, and what few readers I did have are probably gone.

But - by a show of hands, er, comments ..... who's still here??

Waiting for baby

A dear friend of mine and her husband are embarking on a journey to parenthood, and I can't say how excited and hopeful I am for them.

They have been trying for a baby, and it just wasn't happening exactly how nature intended. They just need a little help, and they are diving in and getting that help.

I am hopeful that about the time we return from Disney World, she'll be bursting at the seams with good news.

There are some people in this world that deserve to be parents....and they are some of them. So, good luck you two.

I can't wait to go shopping for some baby stuff! :)

Garage Sale Hell

This weekend we had our big town garage sale. It started out wet & rainy, but we still managed to unload a bunch and rake in a ton of dough.

It's amazing just how much money can be made. Granted, our sale also included antiques and collectibles that my parents were selling, but hubby and I made over $600 ourselves, just selling the kids outgrown clothes and toys they no longer want.

Any that didn't sell got boxed up and was dropped off at Goodwill tonight.

And of course a garage sale is not complete without someone lifting something. I still can't quite wrap my mind around stealing from a garage sale. That's just a whole different level of LOSER.

Seriously.

Like sands thru the hour glass....

I am losing track of time. The days are speeding by and summer is already coming to an end (not officially, just that the kids start back to school on the 16th of August).

I have been in heavy planning mode for our upcoming Disney trip. I'm a little OCD when it comes to traveling to Disney World. And by that I mean, I set up a spreadsheet and document each day's events. From what park we're going to start off in, to where and what time our dining reservations are, to what time the parade is.

It actually works really well for a place like Disney. It allows me to keep our confirmation numbers for reservations organized and gives me a general idea of when I need to get the clan moving so we can make it to dinner on time.

Besides all of that, and work and the kids, I finally took a more official leap into photography. I somewhat did this before, but I never really put myself out there. I more or less had a website where I displayed some work. That was about the extent of it. After my 1-year hosting was up, I didn't renew it.

This time I set up a facebook page along with a website (a free one, but still) and I've already gained almost 70 "fans" on facebook (okay, so I know most of them). I already did a session photographing some hair clips for a friend in Texas who has an etsy shop. And I've got a few people that are interested in me doing sessions for them. We'll see how it all goes.

All I know is that it makes me really happy when I'm behind the camera. But, I am a little nervous about taking photos for others. I know my photos are good, I'm just.....I don't know. Afraid that I won't do well enough for them.

I refuse to let fear hold me back any longer, though....that's what happened last time, and I just can't let that happen again.